Special operations forces (SOF) were at the forefront of Operation Absolute Resolve, the Jan. 3 mission to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores at their Caracas compound.
Alex Plitsas, a CNN National Security analyst, former Pentagon official, and the Special Operations Association of America’s Board Director, highlighted the importance of the successful operation.
“For the last 25 years, special operations forces have largely been engaged in the Global War on Terrorism against non-state actors,” Plitsas explained. “This particular operation is a demonstration of the professionalism and superior capabilities of U.S. special operations forces in the face of a country armed by and allied with near-peer competitors.”
Though he noted that “several operators were wounded during the operation,” Plitsas said that “the U.S. did not suffer any losses, which is a testament to the preparation, training and professionalism of our forces.”
Operation Absolute Resolve unfolds
The New York Times reported that the capture of Maduro was enabled through intelligence gathered by a CIA team that tracked Maduro’s movements, getting to know his pattern of life in Caracas and even his pets’ names. Meanwhile, a Delta Force team practiced making entry on an exact replica of Maduro’s compound created by the Joint Special Operations Command in Kentucky.
After being put on hold for four days due to weather and concerns for the safety of civilians, the operation commenced at President Donald Trump’s order on Friday, Jan. 2 at 10:46 P.M. ET. In total, 150 aircraft were launched from over 20 bases towards Venezuela. They included F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning IIs, F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18 Growlers, E-2 Hawkeyes, B-1 Lancer bombers, and helicopters assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers. Drones were also deployed, with a rarely-witnessed RQ-170 Sentinel possibly spotted in the Venezuelan sky.
While other aircraft disabled Venezuelan air defense systems, the Night Stalkers’ helicopters flew low through the outskirts of Caracas, carrying Delta Force operators and U.S. law enforcement officers who were prepared to nab Maduro and Flores. The helicopters came under attack as they neared Maduro’s compound. They responded with “overwhelming force.” During the exchange of fire, U.S. personnel were injured and one aircraft was struck but remained operational.
Electricity in the capital had been knocked out by the time that helicopters arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1:01 A.M. ET.
Trump told the media that he watched the attack transpire “like [he] was watching a television show.” He explained that Maduro had attempted to lock himself inside a steel-doored “safety space” when “he got bum-rushed.” If Maduro had made it inside, the president said that the Delta Force team was prepared to use blow torches to gain entrance.
After the targets were obtained by law enforcement personnel, helicopters returned for U.S. forces, Maduro, and Flores. The Venezuelan dictator and his wife were transported to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima before being flown to New York City, where they were arraigned Monday in the Southern District of New York and pleaded not guilty to charges including drug trafficking.
Prior SOF activity in Venezuela
SOF involvement in Venezuela dates back to at least Sept. 2, when Navy SEAL Team Six led an operation involving the first strike on a boat reportedly carrying drugs to the U.S. Since that date, around 35 kinetic strikes on drug-ferrying boats have killed 115.
The Night Stalkers arrived off the coast of Venezuela in October. A source told the Special Operations Association of America that the Night Stalkers were “likely training for specific mission-sets, and should the need arise, and the command be given, they are prepared to support the movement of SOF forces wherever they are commanded to go.”
Trump authorized covert operations in Venezuela on Nov. 18. He later acknowledged the CIA’s role in a December aerial strike on a dock and warehouse allegedly used by Tren de Aragua to store drugs prior to shipment. Referencing text on “missile fragments” located near the strike, TWZ reported that the strike was likely conducted by an MQ-9 Reaper drone firing Hellfire or Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles. Though sources said the strike was carried out with SOF intelligence, a spokesperson from the U.S. Special Operations Command said that SOF elements did not provide support for the mission.
SOF personnel were also involved in the seizure of the Skipper, a sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker, on Dec. 10
If further action is required in Venezuela or elsewhere, Operation Absolute Resolve demonstrates the enduring readiness of U.S. special operations forces. The mission reflects the discipline, preparation, and operational excellence that define the SOF community, even in the most complex and demanding environments. The Special Operations Association of America stands with these men and women in recognition of their skill, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to carrying out their duties as they keep America safe.
